Iron Man intercepted the nuclear missile aimed at Manhattan in the 2012 superhero film The Avengers. Tony Stark catches the weapon in flight and redirects it through the wormhole above Stark Tower toward the Chitauri fleet.
The missile was launched by the World Security Council as an extreme attempt to stop the alien invasion, despite the catastrophic consequences for New York City. Stark realizes that the Chitauri mothership is controlling the invading forces, so he carries the missile through the portal and sends it into the alien fleet. The explosion destroys the mothership and disables the Chitauri forces on Earth.
The maneuver nearly kills Iron Man. His suit loses power after the detonation, leaving him to fall back toward Manhattan. The Hulk catches him before he hits the ground, and the other Avengers revive him. A common mix-up is crediting the entire victory to the Avengers collectively, but the specific missile interception is Tony Stark’s solo sacrifice play. Black Widow, meanwhile, closes the portal using Loki’s scepter.